Tag Archives: Autism

My sweet Hope is now 13 years old. She’s a funny, loving girl who constantly wants tickles and loves to hear stories. She adores her daddy, her mom and her brother. It’s not at all unusual for her to approach with a twinkle in her eye and yell, “Tickle me!” And then she runs in the other direction, hoping to be chased, while her giggles fill the air. Hope is a gift from heaven, and I see so much potential in her.

But when she was almost 2, I was terrified for her future. Hope had no words, zero. Her only communication was through crying. She didn’t respond to her name and she would not interact with us. I could walk up behind her, clap my hands and shout her name, and she would have no response. Nothing. Not a cry, not a laugh, not even a startle. Continue reading The View From Now→